Tzu Chi Disaster
Relief Model
By: Michael Siao

Getting to Know Tzu Chi

Tzu Chi Foundation is a volunteer‐based organization headquartered in Hualien, ineastern Taiwan. It is funded by donations from the public. Today, more than 55
years after its founding, Tzu Chi has volunteers in over 66 countries and regions,with millions of supporters and tens of thousands of certified volunteers carrying
out Tzu Chi’s missions around the world.

Getting to Know Tzu Chi
Tzu Chi concentrates its efforts
on its four missions of charity,
medicine, education, andhumanistic culture, as well asinternational disaster relief,bone marrow donation,community volunteerism, andenvironmental conservation.
We hope to become a “globalmodel” of charity, through thepractice of empoweringcommunities with the “SixGoodness”‐Goodness of Hope,
Goodness of Life, Goodness ofCommunity, Goodness ofEnvironment, Goodness of theEarth, and Goodness of theWorld.

Getting to Know Tzu Chi

Over the years, Tzu Chi has delivered relief to needy in 122 countries/ regions.
While bringing aid to regions hit by natural catastrophes, the organization has
witnessed the devastating results of climate change around the globe.

Getting to Know Tzu Chi

Tzu Chi has provided more than 2.5 million pieces of PPE (personal protectiveequipment) to 90 countries/regions and carried out relief distribution in 38
countries/regions, benefiting over 1.19 million households.

Getting to Know Tzu Chi

On July 19, 2010, Buddhist Tzu Chi
Foundation became an NGO in Special
Consultative Status with the United
Nations Economic and Social Council(UN ECOSOC). This is a significant
recognition of the Foundation’scontributions around the world.
As a member of the United NationsEconomic and Social Council withspecial consultative status, Tzu Chi
participates in high‐level conferences
held by the United Nations and otherinternational bodies.

Getting to Know Tzu Chi
Master Cheng Yen, a Buddhist nun
from Taiwan, established the Tzu Chi
Foundation in 1966.
She deeply believes that all people arecapable of the same great compassion
as the Buddha. True compassion,
however, is not just having sympathy
for another’s suffering—it is to reachout to relieve that suffering withconcrete actions. Under herleadership, the Foundation has growninto an international Buddhist charity
recognized for its compassionate reliefefforts.

“Great Love should
transcend race, nationality,religion and geographicaldistances.”- Master Cheng Yen

Among the awards and honors received
by Dharma Master Cheng Yen were:
Ramon Magsaysay Award (considered theAsian Nobel Prize), Philippines 1991
Eisenhower Medallion, People to People
International, U.S.A. 1994
Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award,
World Buddhist University 2002
Roosevelt Institute’s FDR DistinguishedPublic Service Award, 2011
TIME Magazine’s 100 Most InfluentialPeople, 2011
Rotary International Award of Honor, inrecognition of her humanitarian effortsand contributions to world peace, 2014

World’s Risk Index 2020
The Philippines ranked 9th in theworld as the most affected country
from extreme weather events in the2020 World Risk Index (WRI) with ascore of 20.96 (Table 1).

Exposure to natural hazards. The
Philippines’ exposure to extreme
weather events in 2020 was very
high with a score of 42.30 (Table 2).
This indicator determines the levelof exposure of a particular
population to extreme climaticevents.

Emergency Responseto Super Typhoon
DisasterLEYTE

Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Yolanda, was one of the mostpowerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. On Nov. 8, 2013, it battered the Philippines withferocious winds of up to 315 km/h, killing more than 6,300 people.

Master Cheng Yen summoned volunteers from the Philippines to discuss disaster
relief plans. She instructed to initiate emergency disaster response, hoping toallow victims to settle down and be at peace.

Tacloban City,
located in the island
province of Leyte, isreported as theground zero of thetyphoon disaster.
With its airport
damaged by thetyphoon, twoalternative routes
are available toreach the city. Onevia air and sea, theother via landtravel.

Nov. 13, 2013. Tzu Chi’s disaster survey team reached Ormoc City. The local
government provided our transportation allowing us to visit disaster‐stricken
communities.

While gathering info on security and accessibility of the road going to Tacloban, Tzu
Chi volunteers started to conduct disaster survey in Ormoc City. More than 90% of
residential houses sustained heavy damages.

Disaster survivors jampacking ferries leaving their hometown which is devastatedby the super typhoon.

On Nov. 15, the disaster survey team reached Tacloban City. The city is totally
devastated. Houses are wiped out, thousands perished due to the storm surge.

City officials brought us to the open field in front of the City Hall where corpses aretemporarily stored. We offered a simple prayer for the deceased.

After the typhoon swept through the areas, disaster survivors are traumatized. Some walkaround without a direction, some just sits idly, some stared blankly…

Residents and foreigners tried to catch a flight out of Tacloban Airport after seeing
the devastation caused by the typhoon. Water and electricity are cut, and foodsupplies are scarce.

Under the scorching sun, many people loiter around awaiting assistance from the災區依舊淩亂，受災居民無助地在大太陽底下等待政府
government or from international relief groups.
及各界的援助。

With such massive destruction, rehabilitation will take enormous efforts. Coastal
areas are condemned as “No Build Zone”

Life is impermanent and filled with suffering. Facing a catastrophethat is alarming to the world, we must have an awakening on the25
realitiesof the world. – Dharma Master Cheng Yen5 Principles in Disaster Response

1. Priority
2. Direct
3. Respect
4. Speed
5. Conservation

以⼯代賑清掃家園

On Nov. 20, the cash‐for‐work cleanup program was initiated. People do notbelievethat they would be paid P500 for a day’s job of cleaning debris. Daily
慈濟藉著每天五百塊菲幣的代賑金鼓勵災民自已站出wage is only P260/day.

來清掃家園。

At the end of the day, cleanup participants received their P500 for theirservice. The money is not intended as a salary, but rather considered as an aid
to the disaster survivors.

Tzu Chi volunteers consulted local government and talk to the residents to identify
areas in need of cleanup. Everyday, volunteers set out to visit recommended sites,
and identify assembly area to be set as a new cleanup station.

Treading along the trail of destroyed communities and interacting the disastersurvivors allow the volunteers to assess the situation better and allowed us toidentify the true needs of the disaster survivors.

Several properly anchored ships were also swept ashore destroying properties
along its path. The cleanup program helped a lot in finding missing bodies.

Vigia Lingan cannot hold her tears as she prayed for her grandfather and otherrelatives who perished in this calamity.

Container vans were also

Anibong Elem. School

2Leyte Progressive HS
1

43a

Sacred Hearts School
Sto. Nino Church
Sto. Nino Shrine

3bBrgy 58 Gemini

65Tacloban City

St. Gerard, Sampaguita

Sagkahan National HS

78San Jose Central ES

8 Staging areas were identified for cash‐for‐work participants to assemble. This
allowed Tzu Chi to conduct cleanup simultaneously, thereby achieving fasterrecovery.

With more cash‐for‐work stations being setup, so more man‐power are needed
to run the program. Tzu Chi Volunteers from 13 countries came to support therelief mission.

So as not to hamper the ongoing relief mission, batches of volunteers evenbooked chartered‐flight to go to Tacloban when regular flights are scarce. Allvolunteers paid for their own transportation and accommodation.

Tzu Chi volunteers have cooked and served instant rice to augment the foodneeds of the typhoon victims, especially during the cash‐for‐work program.
More than 30,000 meals are served daily.

Aside from working with the available heavy equipment from the government,Tzu Chi also borrowed several heavy equipment to hasten the cleanup efforts.

More than 12,000 people gather in San Jose Elementary School for the cash‐for‐work cleanup program in Tacloban City.

Global Fund Raising Drive

Mobilized

46
countries

Tzu Chi volunteers in 46 countries were mobilized to conduct street donation andfundraising drive to help disaster survivors in the Philippines.

Global Fund Raising Drive

Mobilized

46countries

Tzu Chi volunteers in 46 countries were mobilized to conduct street donation andfundraising drive to help disaster survivors in the Philippines.

During a gathering for the cash‐for‐work participants, local residents rush topractice the spirit of Giving, represented by the coin bank brought around byvolunteers.

After launching relief programs in the heavily devastated city of Tacloban,
victims made signboard to express their gratitude to the Tzu Chi volunteers anddonors all over the world.

被慈濟志工前往重災區關懷受災民眾，鄉親歡喜比感恩手語。
Participants of the relief program are all smiles as they express their gratitude
towards the volunteers.

Positive Result of Cash-for-Work
Cleanup Program
1. Clean up the environment
2. Prevent spreads of disease
3. Provide financial income to thefamily
4. Brings back economy
5. Rehabilitation for the survivors
6. Awakens the innate kindness
among people.

First Application ofCash-for-work Cleanup
Disaster Response After Typhoon Ketsana“Ondoy”Sept. 26, 2009. Typhoon Ketsana swept through Luzon, bringing massive flooding
in Metro Manila. Some areas are even flooded up to 6 meter deep. At least 464
deaths in the Philippines were officially reported from the typhoon.

Ketsana’s rainfall cause an unanticipated flash flood, which led to many deaths
and extensive destruction of property. Marikina City of Metro Manila wasidentified to be the most affected areas from the flash flood.

The downpour of rain within 10 hours, which is equivalent to 3 month’s rainfall,caused Marikina River to swell affecting communities in low‐lying areas.

Disaster survivors are stunned on the swift rise of flood water, leaving many ofthem trapped on their roof tops. After the flood receded, tons of mud were left
behind causing damage to their house and belongings.

Cash‐for‐work cleanup was introduced allowing disaster survivors to clean up
their own house and their community. But how much shall we give them for aday’s work?

10/9 Cleanup
Red ：100%Violet： 90%
Yello ： 60‐80%
Green： 50%
Blue ： 10‐40%Marikina’s Cash-for-Work Cleanup Daily Participants Tally

Count of Participants

NangkaTumanaMalanday

16,916

14,493

9,581
5,461

32

Date 10/1

300

10/6

998

10/10

10/14

TW volunteers came

10/18

How do we supervise their work? FAITH!
Faith in ourselves, that our intention is pure. Faith in others, that everyone has akind heart waiting to be awakened.

Local residents are delighted with the result, and they look up to Tzu Chivolunteers as heroes.

Tzu Chi initiated volunteer training to allow Marikina residents to get to know
more about our mission, and to inspire them to join our ranks.

Prayer Vigil
Dec. 27, 2009
Marikina Sports CenterTzu Chi’s disaster response on Typhoon Ketsana allowed the foundation todevelop Filipino volunteers. Working to help those in need and in turnempowering them to help others, Tzu Chi volunteers reach out to the mostvulnerable within the community and work to ensure that no one is left behind.

To further extend assistance toresidents who are still
recovering after the disaster,
the cash‐for‐work program was
extended for environmental
conservation.
Participants were recruited andassigned stations to conduct
recycle activity in theneighborhood. Activities
include environmental
protection advocacy, educating
residents, collecting and sorting
recyclables.

City Resolution passed for cooperation inrecycling effort with Tzu Chi

MOA signing with City government onEnvironmental Protection ProgramMOA signing with Marikina DepEd on
Environmental Protection Program

Recycling Promotion in different schools

新授證本土委員慈誠The disaster response and rehabilitation program was successful allowing local
volunteers to play a key role in Tzu Chi’s mission after officially being certified asTzu Chi commissioners and Faith Corps.

Medium and Long TermAssistance After Super
Typhoon DisasterReconstruction of Sto. Nino Parish Church

Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation donated P50‐million for the reconstruction of Sto.
Nino Parish Church, which is one of the severely damage structures in Tacloban.

Reconstruction of Sto. Nino Parish Church

On December 24, the first Christmas mass after the typhoon was held in this
newly‐renovated church. Archbishop John Du celebrated the mass and took theopportunity to express his heartfelt thanks to the Tzu Chi.

Great Love Housing Project

More than 2,000 pre‐fabricated houses were completed to provide housing for thedisaster survivor displaced by the super typhoon.

Great Love Housing Project

More than 2,000 pre‐fabricated houses were completed to provide housing for thedisaster survivor displaced by the super typhoon.Great Love Housing ProjectTzu Chi initially distributed the JingSi Multi‐purpose Foldable Platforms to 3,795
families affected by the typhoon. Later, all beneficiaries of the Tzu Chi housing
project were also given.

Pre-fabricated Classrooms

For the benefit of the school children whose classes were disrupted, Tzu Chi
donated 190 Pre‐fabricated classrooms which were assembled in Taiwan. These
allowed schools to open up in less than two months after the typhoon.

Roof Repair Projects for Public Schools

Contributing to the full rehabilitation of Leyte Province, Tzu Chi offered to renovate
the school buildings damaged by Typhoon Haiyan. The roof repair of 195 classrooms
among 32 schools in several towns brought motivation to the children as the schoolyear opened.

Livelihood Programs

Tzu Chi, in cooperation with TV program Failon Ngayon, and the government’s
Technological Education and Skills Development Authority, launched a livelihood
project in Leyte by providing 200 pedicabs to typhoon victims.

Acts of kindness from each one of
us are like nectar of love that canenrich the hearts of many.
– Dharma Master Cheng Yen

Thank You